[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 194 (Friday, December 16, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H9903-H9905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DISASTER RELIEF APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2012
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution
500, I call up the bill (H.R. 3672) making appropriations for disaster
relief requirements for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, and
for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 500, the bill
is considered read.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3672
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the
following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year
ending September 30, 2012, and for other purposes, namely:
TITLE I--DISASTER RELIEF
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management Agency
disaster relief fund
For an additional amount for the ``Disaster Relief Fund''
for major disasters declared pursuant to the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), $6,400,000,000, to remain available
until expended: Provided, That such amount is designated by
the Congress as being for disaster relief pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(D) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE--CIVIL
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Corps of Engineers--Civil
mississippi river and tributaries
For an additional amount for ``Mississippi River and
Tributaries'' for necessary expenses for repair of damages to
Federal projects resulting from a major disaster declared
pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et. seq.),
$802,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for
disaster relief pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(D) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985:
Provided further, That the Assistant Secretary of the Army
for Civil Works shall submit to the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate
a monthly report detailing the allocation and obligation of
these funds, beginning not later than 60 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
operation and maintenance
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance''
for necessary expenses to dredge navigation channels in
response to, and repair damage to Corps projects resulting
from, a major disaster declared pursuant to the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 5121 et. seq.), $534,000,000, to remain available
until expended: Provided, That such amount is designated by
the Congress as being for disaster relief pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(D) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985: Provided further, That the Assistant
Secretary of the Army for Civil Works shall submit to the
Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives
and the Senate a monthly report detailing the allocation and
obligation of these funds, beginning not later than 60 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
flood control and coastal emergencies
For an additional amount for ``Flood Control and Coastal
Emergencies'', as authorized by section 5 of the Act of
August 18, 1941 (33 U.S.C. 701n), for necessary expenses to
prepare for flood, hurricane, and other natural disasters and
support emergency operations, repair, and other activities as
authorized by law, in response to a major disaster declared
pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et. seq.),
$388,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for
disaster relief pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(D) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985:
Provided further, That the Assistant Secretary of the Army
for Civil Works shall submit to the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate
a monthly report detailing the allocation and obligation of
these funds, beginning not later than 60 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
TITLE II--COMBATING WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE
Social Security Administration
limitation on administrative expenses
For an additional amount for continuing disability reviews
under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act and for
the cost associated with conducting redeterminations of
eligibility under title XVI of the Social Security Act, not
more than $483,484,000 may be expended, as authorized by
section 201(g)(1) of the Social Security Act, from any one or
all of the trust funds referred to therein: Provided, That
such amount is additional new budget authority specified for
purposes of subsection 251(b)(2)(B) of the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, and shall be
treated for such purposes as being included under this
heading in the Departments of Labor, Health and Human
Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations
Act, or any continuing appropriation Act, for fiscal year
2012.
TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISION
Sec. 301. Each amount appropriated or made available in
this Act is in addition to amounts otherwise appropriated for
the fiscal year involved.
This Act may be cited as the ``Disaster Relief
Appropriations Act, 2012''.
[[Page H9904]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) and
the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
I rise to present H.R. 3672, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act,
which is the third bill in our final appropriations package for fiscal
year 2012.
This bill provides a total of $8.1 billion in funding for critical
aid and recovery assistance for disaster emergencies. Of this total,
$6.4 billion will go to FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund. This includes
funding for fire assistance, emergency declarations, major disasters,
surge operations, and disaster readiness support.
{time} 1310
In addition, these funds will help cover costs from large-scale
previous disasters such as the summer 2011 tornadoes and Hurricane
Irene.
We've had a historic chain of disasters in this country over the last
year or so.
The legislation also provides $1.7 billion in funding for disaster
recovery assistance through the Army Corps of Engineers. This funding
will help repair damage to critical infrastructure caused by recent
storms and floods and will help prepare for future disaster events.
This total adheres to the total disaster funding level agreed to under
the Budget Control Act this past summer.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, to provide our
communities and families with the support they need as they recover
from these devastating natural disasters.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
This year natural disasters have had devastating impacts on the lives
of many Americans. Today we are considering a bill that provides relief
to those severely damaged communities.
In total, the bill provides $8.1 billion in vital funding to rebuild
areas affected by numerous horrific disasters in 2011, as well as
funding long-term rebuilding needs that date back as far as Hurricane
Katrina. Of the $8.1 billion, $6.4 billion is for FEMA.
This funding will meet the Federal commitment to restore impacted
areas after hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and severe snowstorms.
Almost every State and territory will receive a portion of this
funding. With the adoption of this bill, families and businesses will
receive the funding they need for vital recovery and rebuilding
efforts.
The bill also provides $1.7 billion to repair damage to Corps of
Engineers facilities, roughly equal to the need identified by the Corps
within Presidentially declared disaster areas.
In nearly every year since 1997, the Congress has recognized the need
to provide funding to respond to natural disasters. This bill
recognizes that responsibility.
I urge strong support of this legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
distinguished chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on
Appropriations, the gentlelady from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson).
Mrs. EMERSON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I'm so relieved that this measure today will provide desperately
needed funds for emergencies and disasters which occurred all over the
country this past year.
For most Americans, the thought of the suffering caused by tornadoes
and floods fades with the newspaper headlines. Months later, though, so
many in our country are still trying to recover from storms and events
that took them from their homes, their livelihoods, their safety, or
all of the above. This funding and a reminder of their plight are very
important to call to mind as we vote upon this measure.
I'd like to recognize these folks in southern Missouri who have been
through it all and have set such a remarkable example and have really
come out fighting. We have:
Wendell Choate, who's over 80 years old, and his daughter Beth, who
runs their sweet corn farm of several thousand acres. All of it was
destroyed;
Brother Bennett, who lived in the floodway for over 80 years. He lost
his home;
Milus and Wanda Wallace. They lost their home and so much of their
land was damaged by scouring;
Lynell and Mary Robinson, along with the entire historic black
community of Pinhook, including the Williams and the Strahorns;
Randy Sutton, Ellot Rafferty, the Story family, the Dugan family,
Eddie Marshall, Lester Goodin, Carlin Bennett, our presiding
commissioner, and Kevin Mainard, mayor of East Prairie and a farmer in
the floodway.
Mr. DICKS. I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from
Indiana, the ranking member of the Energy and Water Subcommittee, Mr.
Visclosky.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. I rise in strong support of the legislation.
I would like to begin my remarks by indicating that I consider
investing in our water infrastructure as a key component in disaster
relief, that is if we can avoid disasters in the first place. We
prevent harm, and we certainly save the taxpayers much money.
Several years ago, perhaps, if we had made an adequate investment in
water infrastructure, we might not have avoided the issue of spending
more money in one city in this country in one year, New Orleans, than
we did on every water project in the United States of America combined.
In the omnibus bill that we have just considered, we have increased
funding for the Army Corps over the budget request and over last year's
level. However, despite the best efforts of the subcommittee, we are
still $443 million below that provided to the Corps in fiscal year
2010. At these levels, we are not close to addressing the Corps backlog
of navigation and flood control projects. That is why I am pleased
today to rise in support of this bill that does provide $1.7 billion in
Corps disaster relief funding. This has been an extraordinary flood
season. Further, in August, Hurricane Irene caused significant damage.
Assuming there are no additional natural disasters in 2012, this
funding appears adequate to address damages within Presidential
declared disaster areas. However, my colleagues should be aware there
are damages to the tune of $233 million which must be addressed at
locations outside declared disaster areas for which the bill does not
provide funding.
Again, we must note that there are no moneys provided for emergencies
that may occur between now and October 1 of 2012. We know that,
potentially, wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes
will occur. So I will simply conclude by saying that moving forward--
and again, I strongly support this bill--we must, as an institution,
have the intestinal fortitude to budget for emergencies in anticipation
of them on an annual basis.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to yield back if
the gentleman is.
Mr. DICKS. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time and urge an ``aye'' vote.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I voted to support funding our Nation's
disaster relief programs for an additional year. However, I remain
unsatisfied by the work Congress has engaged in this year regarding our
Nation's budgeting for disaster. The funding we included this year for
the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers
is significant, but it is likely that the cost of next year's disasters
outstrip even those significant sums.
Worldwide, disasters last year caused a record $350 billion in
damage, much of it not covered by insurance. In the U.S., two storms
alone--the tornadoes of April and May--in the Southeast cost more than
$14 billion. These losses were absorbed by those who suffer from the
disaster, by insurers, and by Federal agencies. In the end, the
taxpayers are on the hook to protect our communities, to aid those who
have lost loved ones, homes, and possessions, and to rebuild what is
lost. The amount we have appropriated this year will be insufficient to
accommodate these tasks in the year ahead; when the money runs out,
Congress will have to take action in an emergency setting to ensure an
adequate Federal response.
What is needed is not merely an increase in these budgets. Congress
must find the time and resources to focus on prevention, and to
strengthen the programs that minimize this
[[Page H9905]]
damage when inevitable storms and disasters befall us. Our emergency
response should be robust, but our preventative efforts should be
irreproachable and I urge my colleague to help prevent the next
disaster, not merely respond to it.
Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this disaster relief
measure and urge all of my colleagues to support it.
The $8.1 of funding contained in this measure for FEMA and the Corps
of Engineers is vitally important to a lot of communities around the
country, including those communities in Missouri River Basin in Iowa
and other States.
FEMA monies go a long way in restoring communities hit by natural
disasters, both in terms of individual aid and assistance to
communities for infrastructure repair and rebuild.
The funds for the Corps of Engineers in the bill are also important,
particularly for restoration of flood control infrastructure, and
damage to other infrastructure.
This past spring and summer in southwest Iowa, the residents
experienced enormous damage to their communities, their homes, their
farms and their small businesses. The damage that resulted has climbed
well into the multi-millions--and is still rising in some cases. That
is why this money is especially meaningful. It shows that we in the
Congress are aware of the needs at the local level, and will provide
the assistance required.
I intend to continue to work with my fellow committee members, and
the Water Resources Subcommittee in the Transportation & Infrastructure
Committee to restore flood control infrastructure in S.W. Iowa, and to
carry out the necessary repairs and rebuild activities.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Woodall). All time for debate has
expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 500, the previous question is ordered.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
Pursuant to clause 10 of rule XX, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question
will be postponed.
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